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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27911389">Still Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins'>honestgrins</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Rely on the Kindness of Strangers [296]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Vampire Diaries (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-ish, Caroline Forbes is an Original, F/M, kind of?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:00:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27911389</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anonymous asked: Totally inspired by "Demonology" &amp; "A Night at the Museum" w/ their talking paintings. Caroline was Klaus' wife/lover/gf back when the Originals were human. She was away tending to her sick mother when they were turned &amp; was killed by vengeful village people or Mikael before Klaus could turn her. He painted her &amp; through some magic, she literally lives on through the paintings. Whether she can come back to life is up to you- maybe linked to his curse? Kinda want a reaction from the scooby gang</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Rely on the Kindness of Strangers [296]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/378628</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Klaus glared at the painting, beautifully framed with all the care he held for the subject - but she was not where she belonged. This particular canvas meant to show a relaxed picnic, his wife reclined on a warm blanket in an idyllic meadow.</p>
<p>However, she seemed to have wandered off without a word of warning. He hated when she did that, though it was no surprise given the appearance of yet another doppelgänger.</p>
<p>“Caroline,” he called out, reaching into his pocket for the miniature she sometimes occupied on his travels. When it, too, lacked her visage, he growled at his phone. Since the advent of the certain technology, her passive aggressive fits were at least easier to track. “You know this isn’t my fault!”</p>
<p>Her silence was answer enough, and he scowled as he flipped through the app where he could stream the live security feeds he left with all her portraits. To his great alarm, though, she didn’t seem to be present in any of them.</p>
<p>“Missing something?”</p>
<p>Before conscious thought, Klaus flashed toward the intruder, his grip on the younger Salvatore’s neck frantic and punishing. “What did you do?” he seethed, nails digging in like claws.</p>
<p>“Let him go, Niklaus.” Betrayal was hardly a surprise, not from his siblings. But to risk Caroline, Elijah must have truly lost his mind. Still, he waited patiently for him to release Stefan before continuing. “She is safe, and that need not change.”</p>
<p>“You trapped her somewhere.”</p>
<p>Shrugging, Elijah moved to pour them all a drink, the nonchalant behavior enough to make Klaus’s blood boil. “The Bennett witch is quite adept at improvising, you’d do well to ensure she remains employable. She enchanted a sketch the Gilbert boy made using Caroline’s likeness, and it was enough to hold her safe until you agree to our terms.”</p>
<p>“She said to tell you she’s on Elena’s side, and her vote counts as double,” Stefan added, concern heavy in his expression.</p>
<p>Klaus shook his head, helpless. That sounded like her, even if he didn’t want to believe it from her captors. “I will not negotiate until I have my wife back.”</p>
<p>To leave her as a mere sketch by such a green boy, the <em>disrespect</em>.</p>
<p>With a grim frown, Elijah crossed his arms. “You know I wish no harm to her. Upon my word, trust that she is secure and in good company. She’s quite content for the moment, brother, and it will be over as soon as you can promise no further pain to Elena and Mystic Falls at large.”</p>
<p>He grit his teeth, hating the corner he’d been pushed into. “Trust you?” His brother had handed Caroline over to a nuisance and expected trust. Truthfully, he’d never forgive him this, and a part of him will always suspect the gambit again - just another reason to ensure he freed her from the half-life they’d managed so far. “Let me see her,” he urged again, despite the weaker position. “Then we can talk.”</p>
<p>Ideally, the Bennett witch would also be there. If she was as good as Elijah said, maybe she would be the key to protecting Caroline <em>forever</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hands On</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anonymous asked: I so happy you are back! My days felt so empty without your drabbles!!! If it’s not too late or much, can you write the sequel to that drabble about Caroline being trapped in the paintin? This is where she is freed and Klaroline is reunited!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He would never admit it, but Klaus was scared to look away from her, lest whatever magic that brought her back should make her disappear altogether if his attention drifted for even a moment. Laying in bed with her, the now empty painting loomed over them, it’s subject safely torn free. As warm and solid as she felt in his arms, it felt all too possible that she could fade to a mist. </p>
<p>Like she heard the terror of his thoughts, Caroline grumbled sleepily against his chest. “I’m here,” she promised, “I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
<p>Nodding, he pressed a kiss to her hair. “Rest, it’s been a long day.”</p>
<p>“I forgot how exhausting it was to be a living, breathing human.” Her laugh was faint, and it was music to his ears despite the reminder of how fragile she was as a human. He had the Bennett witch looking into Esther’s grimoire and recreating the spell that made them Originals, but the thought of killing his wife - even temporarily - would have to wait until he could trust that she truly had a foothold in the world again. “You’re thinking too loud again.”</p>
<p>His smirk was half-hearted; he didn’t want to worry her, too. “Just planning all the trips we can take now that you won’t be confined to my pocket.”</p>
<p>She nuzzled into him, her lips brushing over his heart. “You know you’ll have to wake Rebekah,” she warned. “I have a thousand years of fashion to catch up on, and I doubt you want to tag along for all of it.”</p>
<p>But his arms tightened around her, the answer absolute. “Good luck getting rid of me anytime soon, my love. I’d follow you anywhere.”</p>
<p>Slowly, she leaned up to kiss him, soft and deep. He savored every moment of it. “I love you, too,” she whispered against his lips. “Sleep, I’ll still be here in the morning.”</p>
<p>He allowed his eyes to close as she nestled back into his side, but only because he could feel her heart beating, strong and steady. The paintings had been a balm for him since he first lost her; this, however, was infinitely better.</p>
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